Finishing Repairs to OLD Front-Loader

[Grump]

The question is whether I should continue the repair with some period-approximate iron or brass straps over the break, held in with period-correct wood screws.

I couldn't stand the nickel-plated copper wire wrapped around the wrist on the old thing, so I took it off and discovered wood putty under there, where the top had the original wood sliver broken off just like the two slivers missing on each side of the trigger guard.

Turns out the stock was drilled on a vertical slant through the wrist under the wire, and the dowel in there was not very strong at all. That has been replaced with a piece of 1/2 inch oak for strength, and I have pieced in replacement walnut for the three missing chunks.

It's all put together with hide glue and the new wood and some areas sanded through the oil finish have been darkened with a nut husk dye.

I'm tempted to just oil it up and go with it as-is.

Thoughts, recommendations?

 

[Grump]

Anyone?


Beuhler?

 

[WestKentucky]

Looks like you got the wood fitted nicely enough, so absolutely no reason not to see what you've got before going any further.

 

[J-Bar]

If you are confident that the repair will not fail at this point, there is no reason to do anything else.

It's a mark of character, a battle scar to be proud of, don't you know...no need to try to hide it.

 

[Grump]

No signs of cracking after 13 shots Saturday, what I believe to be standard military loads of 75 gr under a round ball and 50 gr under a Minie Ball.

The straps are so unsightly, I am now thinking they should be present only if repaired that way back when an owner "in the day" was using it. The story behind this one hints that the original owner may have met an unpleasant end (or perhaps ran a way to fight another day), leaving the rifle broken and unattended until someone else later on found it. How long that was, we have no idea.

Here's a flintlock with more of a wrap-around strap. Doesn't look that bad and uses nails/brads, but I don't want to work that hard with fitting one.

I can't find a pic I saw about two months ago, showing an iron strap running lengthwise along the wrist of a stock, stabilizing a full-thickness break like the one I'm dealing with.